THERE'S nothing to compare in world sport with a Wales-England rugby international in Cardiff, says that great former England war-horse Mike Burton, a native of Gloucester who retains a great admiration for Welsh rugby.

He's convinced everyone in the world will want to be at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday and reckons it's going to be a great occasion in a magnificent stadium full of wonderful singing Welshmen.

Burton recalls with delight his visits to places like Pontypool, Aberavon, Crum-lin, Abercarn and Garndi-ffaith with Gloucester's first and United teams, often on a wet, Wednesday night.

"There was a lot of skulduggery then, I enjoyed it," he says with a typical belly laugh.

The game has moved on since those great days and England have become world champions, but Burton says there's nothing like the Millennium Stadium.

"It's fantastic, right in the middle of the city and Wales should be proud of it," he enthused. "It's an international event, it's going to be a great show, a great occasion. Everyone in the world will want to be there.

"The last time Wales beat England it was at Wembley, but it was a WRU match. I was in the east stand and Tom Jones was there singing, so was Max Boyce and the Treorchy Male Voice Choir, even the regimental goat.

"Lawrence Dallaglio was there captaining England with his sleeves rolled up ready for the challenge, it was fantastic.

"I looked around and there were people of all ages there, Welsh people mixing with people from Coventry, Loughborough, wherever, having a can of beer, wives, kids and there was no trouble at all.

"And the game was decided by the last kick from Neil Jenkins. Englishmen were looking grey with disbelief, you couldn't make it up.

"I tell you what, it doesn't matter how much you pay a man now the game's gone professional, it won't be as much as he wants to win against England.

"Some years ago an American business friend of mine came over here and asked me where I would take him, the Grand National perhaps. But I said it would be to Cardiff Arms Park to watch Wales play England.

"The game had hardly started and Mark Jones hit Mike Teague, bang, off he went and had 20 stitches. My American friend said, 'Gee, don't they wear helmets?' He couldn't believe it, it was like a war out there.

"With 20 minutes to go they started singing. And everyone in the ground knows the words.

"No-one in the England team now knows what it's like because they haven't played in Wales, they don't play at club level any more. "You've lost all that cameraderie. Now English teams play at places like Leeds and Newcastle, there's a generation which has grown up missing all that, they don't know how hard it was," said Burton, a great mimic who can take off Gwent, Midlands and American accents to perfection in the twinkling of an eye.

He almost relishes the prospect of Wales squaring up to big brother again, and you get the feeling the more physical it is the better Burton will like it. He also believes Wales are going to do it.

"We need a Welsh team with a swagger and this team has got it," he said. "We feel Wales have got a real chance of beating England first game up.

"In fact, I can't see how England are going to win and you won't find anyone in England who says they're going to. It'll be a real cauldron and I've got a sneaking regard for Wales this time.

"Old heads like Johnson and Dallaglio were senior men, they knew how to settle and Jonny Wilkinson never missed a kick, and I mean he never missed. They haven't got that now.

"But this is still the blue ribbon event. It's the spontaneous singing of a nation. Where can you buy that? And no-one is taking the mickey, there's none of this football rubbish.

"And hwyl may win it for Wales. If a Welshman has got that in him he'll play and he'll beat England."